Gallup: Survey shows Afghans unhappy with present, wary about future

KABUL, Afghanistan, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Large numbers of Afghans said their lives were bad and getting worse, the Gallup Organization reported Wednesday.

In face-to-face interviews, Gallup asked adults in Afghanistan to rate their lives on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale. Gallup rates respondents as "suffering," "struggling" or "thriving" based on where they fall on the 0-10 scale.

Gallup reported that 55 percent of respondents gave responses that put them in the 0-4 range -- "struggling," the highest percentage the polling organization found in 2013 in any of the countries where it does surveys. None were at the "thriving" end of the spectrum.

The average for the whole group was 4.3, the lowest number since Gallup began conducting the survey in 2008.

The results were released as the country prepares for presidential elections in April. Gallup suggested some of the economic pessimism comes from the stalled U.S.-Afghan Bilateral Security Agreement and the sharp cuts in aid that could come if it does not take effect.

Only 5 percent of those surveyed said the national economy is improving, and 34 percent said it is getting worse, suggesting that many of the problems perceived by Afghans are economic. More than half, 61 percent, said 2013 was a bad time to look for a job in their local area, the highest number Gallup has seen since 2008.

United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.

With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today's UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.

A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.

UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications.